2008 MAZDA MODEL MX-5 MIATA POWER RETRACTABLE HARDTOP brake

Black plate (335,1)
After washing the vehicle, dry it with a
clean chamois to prevent water spots from
forming.
WARNING
Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
brake performance is normal:Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body,
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.
1. Use wax which contains no abrasives.Waxes containing abrasive will remove
paint and could damage bright metal
parts.
2. Use a good grade of natural wax for metallic, mica, and solid colors.
3. When waxing, coat evenly with the sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and similar
materials will usually also take off the wax.
Rewax these areas even if the rest of the
vehicle doesn't need it.
q Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
CAUTION
If your Mazda is damaged and needs
metal parts repaired or replaced,
make sure the body shop applies
anti-corrosion materials to all parts,
both repaired and new. This will
prevent them from rusting.
qBright-Metal Maintenance
lUse tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
lTo prevent corrosion on bright-metal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
lDuring cold weather or in coastal areas,
cover bright-metal parts with a coating
of wax or preservative heavier than
usual. It would also help to coat them
with noncorrosive petroleum jelly or
some other protective compound.
CAUTION
Don't use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or caustic
agents on chrome-plated or anodized
aluminum parts. This may result in
damage to the protective coating and
cause discoloration or paint
deterioration.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
8-53
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Black plate (336,1)
qUnderbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and
wheel housings with lukewarm or cold
water at the end of each winter. Try also
to do this every month.
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped
there will cause rusting.
WARNING
Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
brake performance is normal: Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
qAluminum Wheel Maintenance
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
NOTE
lDon't use a wire brush or any abrasive
cleaner, polishing compound, or solvent on
aluminum wheels. They may damage the
coating.
lOnly use a mild soap or neutral detergent
and always use a sponge or soft cloth to
clean the wheels.
Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm or cold
water. Also, be sure to clean the wheels
after driving on dusty or salted roads. This
helps prevent corrosion.
lAvoid washing your vehicle in an automatic
car wash that uses high-speed or hard
brushes.
lIf your aluminum wheels lose luster, wax
the wheels.
qConvertible Top Maintenanceí
The convertible top is made of a special
high-grade material, but if it's not taken
good care of, hardening, staining, and loss
of luster will result. Maintain it under
these guidelines.
Washing
Do not wait until the convertible top gets
really dirty before cleaning it. Dirt that's
there too long will cause deterioration.
1. Before washing, remove dust and
coarse particulate with a soft brush.
2. Gently clean the convertible top with a synthetic neutral detergent, lots of
water, and a soft brush.
3. Rinse it thoroughly with clean water to remove all the soap.
8-54
Maintenance and Care
íSome models.
Appearance Care
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Black plate (371,1)
qGlossary of Terms
Tire Placard: A label indicating the OE tire sizes, recommended inflation pressure, and
the maximum weight the vehicle can carry.
Tire Identification Number (TIN): A number on the sidewall of each tire providing
information about the tire brand and manufacturing plant, tire size, and date of
manufacture.
Inflation Pressure: A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
kPa: Kilopascal, the metric unit for air pressure.
psi: Pounds per square inch, the English unit for air pressure.
B-pillar: The structural member at the side of the vehicle behind the front door.
Original Equipment (OE): Describes components originally equipped on the vehicle.
Vehicle Load Limit: The maximum value of the combination weight of occupants and
cargo.
Bead Area of the Tire: Area of the tire next to the rim.
Sidewall Area of the Tire: Area between the bead area and the tread.
Tread Area of the Tire: Area on the perimeter of the tire that contacts the road when it's
mounted on the vehicle.
Seating capacity means the total allowable number of vehicle occupants. Seating capacity
is described on the tire label.
Production options weight is the combination weight of installed regular production
options weighing over 2.3 kilograms in excess of the standard items which they replace,
and not previously considered in the curb weight or accessory weight, including heavy
duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Rim is the metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Black plate (375,1)
Vehicle Loading
WARNING
Do not taw a trailer with this vehicle:Towing a trailer with this vehicle is dangerous because it has not been designed to
tow a trailer and doing so will affect the drive system which could result in vehicle
damage.
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to keep
your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating capability, with or without a trailer.
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design performance.
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle's Safety
Certification Label and Tire and Load Information Label:
WARNING
Overloaded Vehicle: Overloading a vehicle is dangerous. The results of overloading can have serious
consequences in terms of passenger safety. Too much weight on a vehicle's
suspension system can cause spring or shock absorber failure, brake failure,
handling or steering problems, irregular tire wear, tire failure or other damage.
Overloading makes a vehicle harder to drive and control. It also increases the
distance required for stopping. In cases of serious overloading, brakes can fail
completely, particularly on steep grades. The load a tire will carry safely is a
combination of the size of the tire, its load range, and corresponding inflation
pressure.
Never overload the vehicle and always observe the vehicle's weight ratings from the
vehicle's Safety Certification and Tire and Load Information labels.
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
9-35
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Black plate (380,1)
GCW
GCW (Gross Combination Weight)is the weight of the loaded vehicle (GVW) plus the
weight of the fully loaded trailer.
GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable weight of the
vehicle and the loaded trailer - including all cargo and passengers - that the vehicle can
handle without risking damage. (Important: The towing vehicle's braking system is rated
for operation at GVWR, not at GCWR. Separate functional brakes should be used for safe
control of towed vehicles and for trailers weighing more than 1,500 lbs). The GCW must
never exceed the GCWR.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight is the highest possible weight of a fully loaded trailer
the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only mandatory options, no cargo (internal or
external), a tongue load of 10 _
15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15 _
25%
(fifth-wheel trailer), and driver only (150 lbs). Consult your dealership (or the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide provided by your dealership) for more detailed information.
Tongue Load or Fifth-Wheel King Pin Weight refers to the amount of the weight that a
trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch.
Examples: For a 5000 lb conventional trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a
proper tongue load range of 500 to 750 lbs. For an 11,500 lb fifth-wheel trailer, multiply by
0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1,725 to 2,875 lbs.
9-40
Customer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
Tire Information (U.S.A.)
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Black plate (390,1)
Specifications
qEngine
Item Specification
Type DOHC-16V in-line, 4-cylinder
Bore×Stroke 87.5 × 83.1 mm (3.44 × 3.27 in)
Displacement 1,999 ml (1,999 cc, 122.0 cu in)
Compression ratio 10.8
qElectrical System
Item Classification
Battery 12V-36AH/5HR
Spark-plug number L3G2 18 110
*1, L3Y1 18 110
Spark-plug gap 1.25 ―1.35 mm (0.050 ―0.053 in)
*1 ex factory
CAUTION
When cleaning the iridium plugs, do not use a wire brush. The fine particulate
coating on the iridium alloy and platinum tips could be damaged.
q Lubricant Quality
Lubricant Classification
Engine oil Refer to the recommended SAE viscosity numbers
on page 8-21.
Manual transmission
oil 5-speed
transmission
Any temperature
API Service
GL-4 or GL-5
SAE 75W-90
Above 10°C (50°F) API Service
GL-4 or GL-5
SAE 80W-90
6-speed transmission API Service
GL-4 or GL-5
SAE 75W-90
Automatic transmission fluid JWS3309
Power steering fluid ATF M-III or equivalent (e.g. Dexron® II)
Brake/Clutch fluid SAE J1703 or FMVSS116 DOT-3
Rear differential oil API Service
GL-5
SAE 90
80W-90
75W-90
*1
*1 Not available from Mazda
10-4
Specifications
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Black plate (392,1)
qAir Conditioner
Item Classification
Refrigerant Type HFC134a (R-134a)
qLight Bulbs
Exterior light
Light bulb Category
Wattage ECE R (SAE)
Headlights High beam 65 H9 (
―)
Low beam Halogen 55 H7 (
―)
Xenon fusion 35 D2S ( ―)
Front turn signal lights 21 WY21W ( ―)
Parking lights 5 W5W ( ―)
Fog lights
í55 H11 (―)
Side-marker lights 5―(― )
High-mount brake light
*11 ―(― )
Rear turn signal lights 21 WY21W ( ―)
Brake lights/Taillights (Rear side-marker lights) 21/5 W21/5W (#7443)
Reverse lights 18.4 W16W (#921)
License plate lights 5 W5W ( ―)
*1 Bulb replacement is not possible because it is built into the unit. Replace the unit.
Interior light Light bulb Wattage
Overhead light 10
Trunk light 8
qTires
NOTE
The tires have been optimally matched with the chassis of your vehicle.
When replacing tires, Mazda recommends that you replace tires of the same type originally fitted to
your vehicle. For details, contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Check the tire pressure label for tire size and inflation pressure. Refer to Tire Inflation
Pressure on page 8-33.
Standard tire
Tire size Inflation pressure
205/50R16 87V 200 kPa (29 psi)
205/45R17 84W 200 kPa (29 psi)
10-6íSome models.
Specifications
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Black plate (396,1)
A
Accessory Socket .............................. 6-44
Add-On Non-Genuine Parts and
Accessories ....................................... 9-17
Advanced Key ..................................... 3-2Advanced key maintenance ......... 3-5
Advanced key suspend
function ...................................... 3-16
Auxiliary key .............................. 3-16
Locking, unlocking with request
switch ........................................... 3-8
Opening the trunk lid with request
switch ........................................... 3-9
Operation range ............................ 3-7
Remote control function ............. 3-14
Service ......................................... 3-6
When warning indicator/beep is
activated ..................................... 3-20
Air Bag Systems ............................... 2-28
Antenna ............................................... 6-9
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ......... 5-8 Warning light ............................... 5-8
Appearance Care ............................... 8-50
Audio System ..................................... 6-9 Audio control switch .................. 6-38
Audio set .................................... 6-19
Operating tips for audio system .... 6-9
Safety certification ..................... 6-40
Automatic Transmission Driving tips ................................ 5-18
Manual shift mode ..................... 5-14
Shift-lock system ....................... 5-14
Transmission ranges ................... 5-13
B
BatteryEmergency starting .................... 7-20
Maintenance ............................... 8-30
Specifications ............................. 10-4
Beep Sounds Ignition key reminder ................. 5-52
Lights-on reminder ..................... 5-52
Seat belt warning beep ............... 5-52
Tire inflation pressure warning
beep ............................................ 5-52
Before Starting the Engine .................. 4-5
After getting in ............................. 4-5
Before getting in .......................... 4-5
Body Lubrication .............................. 8-27
Bottle Holder ..................................... 6-42
Brake/Clutch Fluid ........................................... 8-25
Brakes Anti-lock brake system (ABS) ..... 5-8
Foot brake .................................... 5-5
Pad wear indicator ........................ 5-9
Parking brake ............................... 5-6
Warning light ............................... 5-7
Break-In Period ................................... 4-6
Bulb Replacement ............................. 8-37
C
Capacities .......................................... 10-5
Carbon Monoxide ............................... 4-4
Catalytic Converter ............................. 4-3
Cell Phones ....................................... 9-18
Child Restraint Child restraint precautions ......... 2-17
LATCH child-restraint
systems ....................................... 2-25
Climate Control System ...................... 6-2
Gas specifications ...................... 10-6
11-2
Index
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